Unit #4: Our fourth Unit of Inguiry is "How the World Works" and in this unit we will be focusing on change. We will start the unit discussing the seasons and weather. These are things the students should have some background knowledge about and that they are able to see everyday. After we have discussed these and the students are starting to understand what change means and some ways that it relates to their life we will discuss the phases of water and materials (solid, liquid, and gas). We will boil water, make ice cubes, and melt ice cubes. We will then start doing experiments. In one of the experiments we will see how the temperature of water affects things. We will try to cook pasta in cold, warm, and boiling water. Once we see that boiling water has the biggest affect on the pasta we will try cooking other materials in our classroom in boiling water (blocks, bread, gummy bears, paper, etc.). We will make playdough and popcorn to see some more kinds of change, the students will create their own pancake recipe after we read some pancake stories and we will try to make their pancake recipe. This unit is very science based and during it I will introduce various elements of the scientific process in a Kindergarten appropriate way.
This you can do at home with the unit:
Discuss the seasons and weather with your child
As the weather warms up show your child how the trees, plants, etc. are changing due to the weather
As you see examples of solids, liquids, and gases ask your child what they are
Let your child help you cook and explain how the different ingredients change the final product
Ask your child what experiments they have been doing in school and what surprised them
Learner profile words we are focusing on:
Inquirer
Knowledgeable
Reflective
Unit #3: Our third Unit of Inquiry is "How We Express Ourselves". In this unit we will be reading different fairy tales. We will read two versions of each fairy tale, then we will compare the two versions looking for the similarities and differences. Once we have done this the students will choose who is their favorite character in the story and they will create a puppet of that character. We will make popsicle stick puppets, paper bag puppets, sock puppets, real gingerbread men/women, and more. At the end of the unit the students will create their own play using one of the stories for inspiration or completely from their own ideas. They will create the background for their play, masks, determine characters, create a story board, and then put on the play for the school and parents. This is a literacy based unit and in it the students will work on many important literacy skills. They will be identifying the characters in the story, recalling the facts of the story, retelling the story, thinking about characters likes and dislikes, and writing their own stories. It is a very fun unit and I think the students will love it! I'm excited to see what they come up with!
Things you can do at home with the unit:
Discuss who are the characters in the story when you and your child read together
Talk about which character in the story is your and their favorite and why
Help your child create their own stories at home with them or you writing
Act out different stories you have read with your child using puppets or stuffed animals
Let your child put on plays for you :)
Come and watch the final performance!!
Learner profile words we are focusing on:
Communicator
Risk-taker
Unit #2: Our second unit will be "How We Organize Ourselves". For this unit will will be looking at transportation and how it affects our lives, Wroclaw, and the cities we came from. The students will be learning to identify different kinds of transportation, they will learn about how to act and go on the different kinds of transportation, and they will think about why we have things where we do. For example why is the airport not in the middle of the city and where should roads be, etc. We will go on a fun field trip in Wroclaw where we get to ride on many of the different kinds of transportation available here and see some others. The students will also create a city and different modes of transportation out of recycable materials. This is a fun interative unit and I'm excited to see how the students can relate the importance of transportation to their lives.
Things you can do at home with the unit:
Take your child on the city buses and/or tram
Let your child stamp their ticket and explain to them why they must stamp it
Explain the route you take on the way to school as you are doing it
Ask your child to count the number of buses or trams or trucks they see as you are driving
Talk to your child about the different kinds of transportation in your home country/city
Ask your child about the field trip after we go on it
Learner profile words we are focusing on:
Knowledgeable
Reflective
Pictures from this unit (including the field trip):
Unit #1: Our first Unit of Inquiry will be "Who We Are". In this unit the students will be thinking about who they are and then focusing on friendship. This is a great unit to start the school year off with because it gets students thinking about who they are individually, what their likes and dislikes are, and introduces basic skills. It also helps to build the classroom community by having them think about what makes a good friend and how to be a friend. Music, Art, P.E., and Polish will all be incorporating some of their lessons into this unit. I think it will be a fun one and that the students will enjoy it!
Things you can do at home with the unit:
Ask your child who their friends are at school
Discuss the importance of having friends
Discuss with your child how to be a good friend
Talk about how to make friends
Remind your child that friends don't always like the same things as them
Unit #4:
Our fourth Unit of Inguiry is "How the World Works" and in this unit we will be focusing on change. We will start the unit discussing the seasons and weather. These are things the students should have some background knowledge about and that they are able to see everyday. After we have discussed these and the students are starting to understand what change means and some ways that it relates to their life we will discuss the phases of water and materials (solid, liquid, and gas). We will boil water, make ice cubes, and melt ice cubes. We will then start doing experiments. In one of the experiments we will see how the temperature of water affects things. We will try to cook pasta in cold, warm, and boiling water. Once we see that boiling water has the biggest affect on the pasta we will try cooking other materials in our classroom in boiling water (blocks, bread, gummy bears, paper, etc.). We will make playdough and popcorn to see some more kinds of change, the students will create their own pancake recipe after we read some pancake stories and we will try to make their pancake recipe. This unit is very science based and during it I will introduce various elements of the scientific process in a Kindergarten appropriate way.
This you can do at home with the unit:
Learner profile words we are focusing on:
Unit #3:
Our third Unit of Inquiry is "How We Express Ourselves". In this unit we will be reading different fairy tales. We will read two versions of each fairy tale, then we will compare the two versions looking for the similarities and differences. Once we have done this the students will choose who is their favorite character in the story and they will create a puppet of that character. We will make popsicle stick puppets, paper bag puppets, sock puppets, real gingerbread men/women, and more. At the end of the unit the students will create their own play using one of the stories for inspiration or completely from their own ideas. They will create the background for their play, masks, determine characters, create a story board, and then put on the play for the school and parents. This is a literacy based unit and in it the students will work on many important literacy skills. They will be identifying the characters in the story, recalling the facts of the story, retelling the story, thinking about characters likes and dislikes, and writing their own stories. It is a very fun unit and I think the students will love it! I'm excited to see what they come up with!
Things you can do at home with the unit:
Learner profile words we are focusing on:
Unit #2:
Our second unit will be "How We Organize Ourselves". For this unit will will be looking at transportation and how it affects our lives, Wroclaw, and the cities we came from. The students will be learning to identify different kinds of transportation, they will learn about how to act and go on the different kinds of transportation, and they will think about why we have things where we do. For example why is the airport not in the middle of the city and where should roads be, etc. We will go on a fun field trip in Wroclaw where we get to ride on many of the different kinds of transportation available here and see some others. The students will also create a city and different modes of transportation out of recycable materials. This is a fun interative unit and I'm excited to see how the students can relate the importance of transportation to their lives.
Things you can do at home with the unit:
Learner profile words we are focusing on:
Pictures from this unit (including the field trip):
Unit #1:
Our first Unit of Inquiry will be "Who We Are". In this unit the students will be thinking about who they are and then focusing on friendship. This is a great unit to start the school year off with because it gets students thinking about who they are individually, what their likes and dislikes are, and introduces basic skills. It also helps to build the classroom community by having them think about what makes a good friend and how to be a friend. Music, Art, P.E., and Polish will all be incorporating some of their lessons into this unit. I think it will be a fun one and that the students will enjoy it!
Things you can do at home with the unit:
Learner profile words we are focusing on:
Pictures from this unit: